Amelia Bishop is exhausted by the prospect of marrying her
fiancé and settling for the traditional role expected of
her. In order to shake him off, she's ready to scandalize
society by wearing trousers, going to a gaming hall, and
more. By her side is her old childhood friend, Nicholas
Wakefield, and her beloved sister, Julia. Nicholas
desperately wants Amelia to see him as more than a friend,
even if his family would disown him if they knew. Through
adventure, scandal, and shocking misbehavior, Amelia and
Nicholas may just find a happily ever after yet.
There are so many components that go into a good historical
romance: setting, tension, good use of tropes, and more.
Kimberly Bell has each of these in her latest, THE
IMPORTANCE OF BEING SCANDALOUS, and tops it all off with a
heartwarming sisterhood at the core of the novel. Amelia and
Julia have such distinct voices, and I enjoyed every single
interaction between them, including the realistic arguments
the two have. Readers will be thrilled that the second
installment in this duology will follow Julia, as
there's no
telling one sister's story without the other.
Nicholas and Amelia make a fun, sometimes hilarious, couple.
Amelia's determination to create scandal pushes on, no
matter what objections Nicholas makes, and eventually, he
realizes he has no choice but to assist her. His own set of
problems, namely sticking up for himself and what he wants
to his family, make him a well-rounded character, as well as
someone who can complement Amelia. Romance lovers who favor
the childhood friends/childhood crush trope should grab this
immediately.
With smart wit, engaging writing, and a guaranteed fun
premise, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SCANDALOUS kicks off an
exciting duology about two sisters and the men they love.
A horse race in trousers on Rotten Row. Visiting a
gaming hall in a dress that would make her mother faint.
Sneaking an invitation to a masquerade ball attended by only
the wickedest, most debauched members of society…
None of these things are scaring off bookish but
strong-willed Amelia Bishop’s stuffy, egotistical fiancé.
The only thing left is to entice childhood friend Nicholas
Wakefield into a truly engagement-ending scandal. The
Wakefields are the height of propriety, and Nicholas’s
parents have made it clear a wife from the neighboring
Bishop family would be unacceptable…
But Nicholas would give up his family and his fortune
if Amelia would ever see him as more than just a childhood
friend. He’ll go along with her scheme, even if it means
ruining them both, because he’s got a plan that will change
her mind about him being merely the boy next door.